This synth is excellent value for money. It is not a workstation, but more like a performance MUSICAL instrument. The six knobs make it a breeze to edit or just experiment with the sounds. Look at it as an analog synth with a lot of features. I have owned a lot of synths both analog and digital and i can recommend the CS1X for those who like to play music and donÂ´t fiddle around with computers and MIDI and a lot of technical stuff.....A lot of fun for a bargain!

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Tuesday-Oct-30-2007 at 07:59

synthartist
a hobbyist user
from U.S
writes:

I have owned mine for about 7 years now. It's a cheap way to get analog sounds created in the digital domain. The basses are decent, the analog strings are somewhat convincing as well. But the best thing is the organ patch #75. I keep this keyboard around just for that. I would consider it a good investment if you bought one in good condition for under $150.00.

Rating: 3 out of 5
posted Tuesday-Oct-03-2006 at 00:59

October
a hobbyist user
from USA
writes:

Those with nothing but negative comments on this synth haven't given it a very good try!

Excellent keyboard for the price (I got mine on ebay for under $150), the controls are very well laid out and useful, the keyboard doesn't feel as cheap as one might expect, and some very interesting sounds are lurking in the cool blue case. Some very useable arp patterns are included as well. Fire up a drum kit, toss on an arp+hold, play a chord and with a little tinkering you have an unexpected drum track ready to go! Also has very good midi and doubles quite nicely as a keyboard controller for softsynths, which is what I originally bought mine for.

If you don't pay more than a couple of hundred this is a keyboard that is hard to beat.

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Sunday-Oct-09-2005 at 12:21

Blue Crystal
a part-time user
from Holland
writes:

The Yamaha CS1x seems to attract a lot of polarised opinions. I'd rather stick in the middle and say this synth is as good as the time you invest in it.

In performance mode, the factory presets are not too great, except for some pad and maybe a few bass sounds. I think this is the reason many seem to be disappointed with this keyboard. So, if you want to get anything decent out of this, study how it works. Yes it is sample based, so its synthesis is actually in its effects section. It has 3 parallel FX processors, if you hook this keyboard up to a computer you can edit it all the way.

Remember, this is a synth where you need to layer sounds to get anything decent. Just like most analog synths, where you use 2 or 3 oscillators, the CS1x needs to programmed in layers. Then detune these layers against eachother for fatness and movement in its sound. Also important is the use of its (one) filter. Don't just program the FEG the same on every layer, that'll just create a static, clinical effect. Slightly offset the filters against eachother, so that each layer of the performance can breathe, but at the same time compliment and interact with the other parts.

The Multi/XG/GM part of this synth is nice for rookies, though some sounds (like the harp) are quite good. Remember, on their own these sounds may strike you as flat and dull - that's because this is a budget synth, but more importantly because you need to sprinkle some well-dosed FX on them, layer them and mix them right. It definitely CAN sound really good. Download some XG songs for this keyboard and sit back and listen.

Finally, this keyboard is not a workstation, it cannot fulfill your every need in a production, but don't write it off as a toy because it initially may seem that way. This requires some time studying it, learning its possibilities. Then, you can go ahead and program some of the most impressive sounds I've ever heard coming out of a sample-based, middle-class synth.

Rating: 4 out of 5
posted Thursday-Aug-11-2005 at 11:55

Bobby
a professional user
from USA
writes:

Ok I've had one for a few years now and I still love it. Seriously for the price I paid ($200 3 or 4 years ago) I have a Yamaha XG rompler and better yet I can run these rom samples through effects and a filter to make some seriousy unique sounds. The effects and filter are digital but i think that's a good thing! You can get some interesting glitchy sounds by cranking the resonance and adjusting the cutoff with the modwheel. Yes the sounds are mostly cold and digital but if all your equipment was fat analog you would have a dull sounding fat muddy mix with lots of indistinguishable parts. This thing is a classic, I know of many pro-musicians who use and have used this live and on recordings (listen to any song off of the Faint's Blank Wave Arcade and you will here straight up CS1x sounds). Overall it's just a fun quirky synth that sounds great in a mix.